Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has congratulated former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the architect of German reunification, on his 80th birthday, the Kremlin press service said on Saturday.
"An eminent politician and public figure, you have made a considerable contribution to the restoration of Germany's unity, strengthening European cooperation. It is in many ways thanks to your multifaceted work as chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany that new Russia-Germany relations have begun to form on the principles of trust-based dialogue and constructive cooperation," Medvedev said.
The president said that the strategic partnership between Russia and Germany, which have made considerable headway in political, economical and cultural spheres, will continue to be a factor of maintaining stability on Europe and the world.
"It is important that even today your high authority continues to have a positive influence on the development of ties between Russia and Germany," Medvedev said.
Helmut Kohl was the chancellor of West Germany and then Germany from 1982 to 1998 and was the leading force behind German reunification in 1990, as well as a central figure in pushing through the Maastricht Treaty, which formally established the European Union as it is today.
MOSCOW, April 3 (RIA Novosti)
